The invention starts with an adapter for the articulated connection of a wiper blade to a wiper arm.
Known windshield wipers feature a wiper arm, which sits on a wiper shaft. A wiper motor drives this shaft. A wiper blade is connected in an articulated manner with the free end of the wiper arm. The wiper blade as a rule has a multi-element supporting bracket system with a main bracket. Subordinate brackets are coupled to this system and at least several of these with claws on their ends hold a wiper strip. Non-articulated wiper blades are also known, which, instead of the supporting bracket system, have a resilient elastic supporting element perpendicular to the vehicle window, which is manufactured of plastic. In order to improve the springy property, it can feature at least one spring rail made of spring steel. The supporting element has a greater curvature than the vehicle window in an unstressed state so that the wiper strip is applied to the vehicle window under the application force of the wiper arm with an appropriate distribution of pressure.
A windshield wiper with a wiper blade with a main bracket that is coupled to a wiper arm via a so-called sidelock system is known from DE 101 62 402 A1. For this purpose, a pin is riveted laterally on the free end of the wiper arm, which features a U-shaped profile that is open towards the vehicle window. The pin points transverse to the longitudinal direction of the wiper arm and towards the wiper blade. During assembly of the wiper blade, it is pushed into a passage bore hole of an adapter, which is previously inserted into two opposing passages in the side walls of a suspension box of the wiper blade. For this purpose, the adapter has an essentially cylindrical bearing element, which features at least one longitudinal slot and guide surfaces on its ends, with which it is pivoted in the passages of the suspension box. The slot makes it possible for the bearing element to yield elastically radially and to expand again after going through the passages. As a result, the bearing element can be fixed axially in the suspension box between the locking hooks on a first end and a bearing surface on its second end. If the pin is pushed into the passage bore hole, the bearing element is no longer able to yield radially so that the adapter can no longer detach from the suspension box. In order to avoid a relative rotation between the pin and the adapter, the adapter has a clip with a locking nose on its second end and this locking nose locks on a leg of the U-shaped profile of the wiper arm during assembly. This is hampered by the fact that the locking nose must be aligned on the leg of the U-shaped profile. Furthermore, the relative movement takes place between the relatively narrow guide surfaces and the low wall thicknesses of the passages, the consequence of which is a high surface stress of the articulated surfaces.
A bridge, which is bent on its free side towards the side of the pin, is arranged parallel to the pin on the wiper arm offset in the longitudinal direction. In an assembly position, in which the wiper blade is held transverse to the longitudinal direction of the wiper arm, the pin can be pushed into the passage bore hold of the adapter. If the wiper blade is then rotated in the longitudinal direction of the wiper arm, the bridge grips over the wiper blade and locks it with its bent end so that in an assembled state the wiper blade is guided onto the pin between the bent end of the bridge and the wiper arm.
Furthermore, a similar windshield wiper with a wiper blade with a main bracket, which is coupled to a wiper arm via a so-called sidelock system, is known from DE 101 62 397 A1. The cylindrical adapter is pressed into the passages until it is adjacent with a collar on one end on the outer side of the suspension box. Since the adapter sits firmly in the wiper blade, the relative movement takes place between the adapter on the one hand and the wiper arm or its pin on the other. Moreover, the parts of the wiper arm and the wiper blade, which are manufactured of sheet metal as a rule, are isolated from one another by the adapter made of plastic thereby minimizing movement noises and wear.
In order to guarantee that the bent end of the bridge can slide in an assembled state with little play on the coordinating outer side of the suspension box, a plate made of plastic is fastened on this side. This plate features recesses on the side facing the suspension box for the edges of the passages and for the projection of the articulated bolt. In addition, a recess is provided in the area of the pin so that the pin and, if necessary, the adapter can project a short distance over the coordinating passage or its edge. The plate equalizes the unevenness on the outer side of the suspension box so that the bent end of the bridge encounters a smooth bearing surface. The plate can be screwed, riveted, glued, or clipped onto the suspension box. If screws or rivets are used, they should advantageously have a countersunk head. The number of components increases because of the plate.